A Game of Cards
by Akemipie
Summary: Twilight Sparkle, the newest Princess of Equestria, a land lacking the free will that she had always thought was there.


How would you react if you learned that all you are, all you have ever done, is nothing more than the hands and plays, the various exchanges, in somepony's game of cards. An idea like this had never occurred to Twilight Sparkle. She had always thought that she was free, that aside from a few pointers from her teacher, Princess Celestia, she had always been given the choice in everything she had done so far, but now, standing in a darkened chamber in the castle the Princess of Night, her entire view was changing.

Twilight stared down into a small pool of what looked like water resting in a curved marble basin and into Ponyville's town square. She saw Mayor Mare walking with Filthy Rich outside of the Quills and Sofas store. She saw Pinkie Pie hop out of Sugarcube Corner, a delivery of cakes somehow balanced on her back. She saw Caramel stop to talk to Pokey Pierce probably on his way to Sweet Apple Acres to help Big Mac with some new project.

"But I don't understand." Twilight looked at Princess Luna. The dark princess looked back at her, a look of sympathy shining from her eyes. "What is this?"

"This Basin was created centuries ago while Discord was still in power. It was enchanted by both dark magic and the magic of an alicorn mixed together. After we defeated Discord my sister and I kept it, fearing that if we tried to destroy it, the magic would go beyond our control."

"But what does it do? With that much raw magic, it can't just be for viewing other pony's lives." Twilight watched Luna sigh and close her eyes for a moment.

"It is better that I show you, although I hate to do so. Celestia is much more keen on it." Princess Luna turned her gaze back to the image of Ponyville and summoned her magic into her horn. "Now that you are a princess Twilight, you have the right to know." She focused on Pinkie Pie, who had stopped to talk with Matilda. A small stream of her magic flowed to the image and caused a small ripple in the magical ripple. Pinkie Pie's cake boxes suddenly slipped from her back. She lunged for them and caught them right before they hit the ground. She wiped her forehead in relief and put them back onto her back. After saying a quick good-bye she dashed off to make her deliveries.

"W-what! B-but how?" Twilight spun to Luna. "You can cause things to happen?"

"This pool allows us to do many things. Yes, we can cause things, both big and small to happen, but we can also change the weather, influence pony's emotions, and on some occasions, control animals. This pool is surrounded by mystery, and like I have said, it holds no appeal to me and I usually stray far from it. However, it is one of my sister's more favored pastimes."

"Exactly how much does Princess Celestia influence what happens in Equestria?"

"She rather enjoys to shape it as she likes it. I believe that the sudden change in your Fluttershy's mood after she met a certain Iron Will was due to her."

"What?!"

"Did you really think that your quiet friend would be so easily swayed to be a bully by one lecture from a loud minotaur?"

"I just-I never thought that-! But why would she do something like that?"

"I believe that in that particular instance, Celestia thought that it would be a good lesson for Fluttershy to learn."

"But she changed who Fluttershy was! She made her hurt Her friends!"

"You should know that I greatly disapprove of what my sister does with this, however in that situation it worked out as Celestia wanted it to. It often does." Luna was silent for a moment. "But Twilight, now that you are a princess, you also have the right to use this. That is why Celestia asked me to show you this. I believe she wants to teach you what it is she is trying to do with it."

"She wants me to control ponies as well?" Luna nodded. Twilight paused thoughtfully. "If you don't like what she's doing, why haven't you ever tried to talk to her about it?"

"I have talked to her about many things including this. They all turn out the same." Luna started to walk to the door of the chamber, but stopped and looked back, meeting Twilight's eyes. "I have hopes that you will show responsibility with this." And she walked out.

Twilight stayed where she was, listening to the soft clop of Luna's hooves on the floor as they faded away. When the room was silent once more, Twilight looked down into the basin and watched the ponies that she knew in the town that she called home. She now had the power to change their lives as she saw fit, but how could she ever? Did Cadence do this as well, or was she against it as Luna was?

Twilight swallowed hard and turned away. How could she ever do it, even if Celesia wanted it of her? She walked slowly away, the room darkening behind her as the pool lost the image. Twilight didn't look back as she closed the doors with a head filled with new, and in her opinion unwanted, information. How much of her life had been changed by Celestia to get her to this point?

* * *

I'm not really sure what this is. I just sat down and started typing after I looked at a picture that I found on Deviantart. I wasn't planning on continuing so I'll mark it as complete, but if I get reviews saying that I should continue, then I will consider it. Not sure where it would go though.

So, I hope you like my random typing and please R&R!

And credit for the cover image goes to Evangeline1888 on Deviantart (btw this isn't the picture that inspired the story)


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